Edited, 5/11/13: You would think that this guy couldn’t possibly say anything that would or could be more offensive to our kids. But he has. I’m actually waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and said “ha ha, gotcha Brits! Punkd!”
It’s much too early for this. I need a “WTF” category on here. Here’s the story, this happened overseas in Cornwall, England. This councillor (a type of local politician) attended a big charity event–sounds like it was a type of information fair with different groups each hosting a table to educate on what their charity does. This person asked the charity what they did, they said they helped families that have children with special needs.
His response:
disabled children cost the council too much money and should be put down
You read that correctly.
Wait, it gets better. He actually did this in 2011, and is just now getting around to apologize for it. His apology came in the form of a regular ‘ole letter with a regular stamp. Not in person or even on the phone. Just a letter over a year later. And from the wording on the letter, it appears he had no intent of apologizing until he received some type of formal reprimand.
This is the letter as it was pictured in the DailyMail.
His excuse for saying it: ‘I had come to their stall after a long council meeting and I was probably a little bit het up as we had had some difficult debates.’
He also added that he was “hot under the collar” and that he “meant no offense” and was only trying to start a debate.
Apparently not a very intelligent debate.
Disability Cornwall, the charity involved in this, has called for his resignation, which has not yet happened and he said he has no plans to resign and is otherwise doing a good job.
So Mr. Brewer, I’m not even sure of what to say. I wish my son did not have special needs, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t wish for normalcy. Not one. I am sorry that he costs society more money, he costs us more money too. I know he costs my school extra money, but what would you like me to do? Oh right, you said what you’d like me to do, euthanize him. Right. So now we should exterminate 10-20% of society? Sounds like Hitler.
Mr. Cornwall, I’m well beyond trying to get people like you to “get it” because you never will. You can’t understand what it’s like unless you’ve spent a day in our shoes. There are many things that Ms. Court could do with her free time–other than standing at a table trying to get society to understand her needs. I’m sure she can think of 100s of things she’d rather do, instead of trying to convince dolts like you that her child should actually live, and be given the chance at an education and health. It’s what I do with my free time too and I’d rather be on the beach or shopping. But people like you continue to exist with your narrow-minded and exclusionary principles, so we have to keep fighting the fight. Our kids are people just like any other and in our household we teach that everyone is equal.
But you know what? For all of my son’s deficiencies and short comings, one thing I know is that he has a giant heart and loves and cares about people, even if he can’t always express it. It’s just unfortunate that society is more likely to elect someone like you, instead of someone like him. Because if he had any authority, I know our world would be a better place. He makes our household and our family a much better place. I actually feel sorry for you, that you are so jaded. It is time for you to step down. Not just because of what you said, but because you lack such critical thinking skills, that you cannot think of a more constructive way to start a conversation or to solve a problem. Because you are such a coward that you will not defend your actions of waiting over a year to apologize. Cornwall deserves better. Our world deserves better, because your words did reach across the pond, thanks to the internet.
Thankfully my son with special needs cannot comprehend your words, but his sibling and relatives can. What would you like us to tell them? That someone thinks their loved one is better off dead? How do you explain that to siblings, to classmates? What would you like us to tell Britain’s children with special needs–the ones that can read and comprehend your statement? How do you think it feels to wake up and see that some of your government officials wish you dead? If I were a British citizen, I’d be rounding up my readers and polishing my pitchfork, trying to get you removed from your position.
When you insult one of us, you insult all of us.
OMG! That is horrible! Every child is a gift; every child has something to offer. I think he should be fired and do community service.
That is truly disgusting. He should be tarred and feathered and censured. Yes, and fired. Immediately. Horrible.
This makes me sick. And sad.
My kid is the most difficult, the most challenging thing I’ve ever had to deal with. Period. But he’s also the only thing in the world worth this kind of challenge, and is the reward wrapped up in the same package. I actually can imagine my life without him, because I had 30 years before he came along, and it was empty and boring. I wouldn’t give him up for the world, and I think people who find money more important than him to be disgusting monsters. My kid has the right to exist, and we have the right to demand that his needs be met. We go out of our way to not be a burden on people as much as we can, and that impacts our social life some, but I’ll be damned if I’ll accept the idea that “normal” or “healthy” people shouldn’t have to deal with us, see us, or accommodate us, when we ask for reasonable accommodations. Or when we ask for what is fairly, legally ours.
That comment makes me so incredibly sad – sad that there are actually politicians dumb enough to say something so ignorant and sad for all the people he offended with his idiocy.